Trump accuses FBI agent of 'treason' in newspaper interview

Jan. 12, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has accused an FBI agent who was removed from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative team of "treason."

Trump made the comment in an interview Thursday with The Wall Street Journal.

He was referring to Peter Strzok, an FBI agent who had been assigned to work on Mueller's team investigating potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. Strzok was removed last summer following the discovery of anti-Trump text messages he exchanged with an FBI lawyer who was also assigned to the team.

Treason is defined in law as aiding an enemy of the United States.

Aitan Goelman, a lawyer for Strzok, says Trump's allegation is "beyond reckless" and "It should surprise no one that the President has both the facts and the law wrong."